Apparatus for pneumatically distributing powdered and granular material



- a. R. COLBURN 2,314,031 APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATICALLY DISTRIBUTING v POWDERED AND GRABLULAR MATERIAL Flled Feb 19 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 AZZorngys APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATICALLY DISTRIBUTING POWDERED AND GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed Feb. 19, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I6, 1943. R. R. GOLBURN 2,314,033

| 40 M 6 Al w", iii w I fix? H 45 5 3 m 43W l 5; 30 i J 3 1 1 lllll'llllllllllllllIIIIIIllfiillllllllllllllllllll I 3 g I I 1 II I I I I I I I 1 i I lumen/30% l I m Aiarnegs I panying drawings wherein Patented Mar. 16.1943- UNITED STATE APPARATUS TBIBU'I'ING MATERIAL sort rnnoms'rrcmr msrownnas AND gamma Richard 1:. Colburn, 11181161120118, Minn. Application February 19, 1941, Serial No. 379.120 2 Claims. (01. 302-49! This invention relates to apparatus for conveying and distributing divided material. While this apparatus may be used for conveying and distributing any kind of granular or powdered material, it is intended primarily for use in conveying a dry mixture of cement and sand or gravel or both-to a nozzle which adds water to the mixture to form concrete and sprays the concrete on the surface to which it is to be applied.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a novel and improved apparatus for pneu matically conveying and distributing divided material which can be continuously operated without shut down periods for loading a hopper from which the material is taken.

Another object'is to provide in such apparatus novel means for handling the material to cause smooth continuous flow of thematerial to the conveying line.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive novel apparatus for use in pneumatically, conveying mixture through a conduit to a nozzle which is effectivefor use in building construction and elsewhere where concrete is to be employed.

The objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accomlilre reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views and in which- I Fig. l is a view chiefly in side elevation but and distributing a dry concrete shown in detail) from which a drive shaft I 2 runs to a flexible coupling l2 and a short shaft it runs, from the coupling it into a speed reduction gear casing 15 (the details of which are not shown). A shaft ii driven from the shaft it through the reducing gears in the gear casing l5 carries a sprocket ii over which a sprocket chain ll runs. The gear casing i5 is also preferably supported by the platform 8. I

Supported on the platform 2 rearwardly of the gear casing I! as by four legs is is a carrier housing consisting of a plate 2|! and a cylindrical wall 2| secured thereto and projecting upwardly therefrom. To the top of the wall 2| a hopper bottom plate 22 is securedand a hopper '22 of truncated conical shape joins the plate 22 and is supported thereon. A removable hopper .extension 24 in turn rests on top of the hopper 23 and is held in place thereon as by short arms partly in vertical section illustrating an apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on enlarged scale through the main part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-8 of Fig. 2 asindicated by the arrows; v

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-4 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. '7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings. there is provided in accordance with the invention a supporting platform 8 mounted preferably on a front caster wheel 8 and on a wheel equipped rear axle l2 2! projecting upwardly from the top of the hopper 23 and welded or otherwise secured to the hopper and attached as by removable bolts 26 to the hopper extension.

A vertical shaft 21 is journaled at its lower end in a thrust bearing 28 received within an aper- 1 tured plate 28 mounted on the platform 8. This shaft 21 projects upwardly through a bearing 20 carried by the plate 20 and projecting downwardly therefrom and the shaft above the plate 20 extends through the central part of the carrier housing and is journaled in a central bearing 2| secured to the hopper bottom plate 22 and projecting upwardly therefrom. The shaft 21 extends well into the hopper extension 22 and is provided above the hopper bottom plate 22 with a pair of triangularly shaped agitator flns32 and also with upper and lower agitator arms 33 and 24 respectively. 4

Cement and sand or gravel or both are adapted to be placed within the hopper 23 and its extension 24 and of course the purpose of the fins 32 and-the arms 23 and 34 is to mix the material together and work it down into the lower part so as to be readily transportable from one point to another. Mounted on the platform 2 is prefof the hopper without allowing it tobank onto the sides of the hopper or the hopper extension.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the hopper bottom plate 22 is provided with an arcuate'material delivering slot or opening 25 through which the material passes from the hopper 22. This material. delivering slot is radially spaced from the axis of the shaft 21 and of course from the center of the hopper bottom plate 22, and the slot is preferably extended through an arc of approximately l80. Radially spaced from the axis of rotation of the shaft 2|. a distance corresponding to the radial spacing of the material deliverdelivery port 38 and supply compressed air thereto. A hose ll communicating with any suitable source of compressed air supply (not shown) is- ,connected to the pipe 31 to deliver thereto.

Secured as by screws to the lower side of the hopper bottom plate 22 is a sealing liner II which may be of ring shape asillustrated. .This

- sealing liner includes a metal base a to which the screws 3! are secured and a rubber gasket llb of heavy material suitable for long wear, the rubber gasket being preferably vulcanized to the base plate a. A slot 4| correspondingto the material delivering slot 38 is cut in the sealing liner to directly underliethe slot 35 and an opening 41 is also cut in the sealing liner 0 be-,

low the air delivery port it but preferably the.

opening 42 is made somewhat wider than the air delivery port 3|. s

Arotarycarrierflissecuredtotheshaftll below the upper sealing liner ll and-this carrier consists of upper and lower circular heads with a multiplicity of open ended tubes "a extending between-the heads. The tubes a are radially Portland cement and sand and gravel, or Portland cement and sand, or Portland cement and spaced-from the axis 01' rotation ofthe' shaft 2'! to correspond to the radial spacing of the slots 85 and M therefrom and to also correspond'to the radial spacing of the air-delivery port It and the opening 42 therefrom. The tubes are located in closely spaced circumferential relation and it should be here noted that the length of the air delivery port It is considerably greater than the spacing between adjacent tubes a for a pur pose presently to appear. Below the carrier 43- there is located a bottomsealing liner 4 which.

is formed of the same material as the upper sealing linen" and is secured as by screws ll to a bottom plate II, the sealing liner ll consisting of a heavy rubber gasket b attached to a metal Mcking a as by vulcanizing. As shown the bottom sealing liner ll is of ringshape. Below the air admission port at and in vertical alignment therewith the bottom plate 4! is provided with a discharge port 41 which is preferably or slightly greater width than. the port II but of preferably the same length as the port 3.. Dis charge port 41 is, of course, radially spaced from the axis of rotation of the shaft 2'! the same dis.-

tance as the other ports and openings heretofore referred to. To prevent rotation of the bottom plate 40 while at the same time to permit of adiustment of the plate 4! longitudinally of the shaft 27, vertical slots ila'are out in the carrier housing II which receive fingers l8 projecting from the edges of the bottom plate I at. circumferentially spaced points. It should be stated that the lower sealing liner N is equipped with an opening directly above the discharge port 41 which corresponds in size to the opening of the discharge port.

The bottom plate 46 carries a number of circumferentially spaced downwardly projecting pins 50 which extend through pin openings in the bottom plate 26 of the. carrier housing. The bearing 30 formed on the bottom plate 2! of the carrier housing is provided with exterior screw threads and it until is screwed onto the said upper end which bears against the lower ends of the pins II. To readily manipulate the nut II the nut is provided with a steering wheel handle '2. To hold the nut in a set position a set screw '8 is provided. It will be seen that by runm to maintain the air seal between the upper liner II and the upper head of the carrier 0 and between the-lower, head of the carrier and the lower sealing liner 44 at all times, the carrier 43 being mounted for limited sliding movement on shaft if to permit of the adjustment.

Secured to the bottom plate 8 to communi cats with the discharge port I! is a pipe II which forms a gently curved elbow and communicates with a. hose II running to a concrete spray nosgo ale ll. The shaft 2'! carries a sprocket ll over which the endless chain is travels.

In operation the gasoline engine ll through the shaft If. shaft I4, gearing in gearbox I3,

shaft ll, sprocket i'l, chain II. and sprocket H as causes the shaft 21 to continuously rotate in a given direction as for example in a counterclockwise directiomthereby causing the carrier 43 toconti'nuouslv'rotate relative to the hopper bottom plate 22, the upper sealng liner ll. the but- 80 tom plate I, and the lower sealing liner N. In

using the device for the gun spraying of concrete,

gravel, in dry form are d mp d into the hopper 1 II and hopper extension 24.. The material in the hopper reeds down through the material delivering slot II and the upper sealing liner slot ll into the rotating'tubes a or the carrier, filling the tubes immediately below these slots.- As the car- 4o rier revolves the filled tubes are progressively brought topoints underlying the air deliverypcrt It. Compressed air supplied from the source of supply through the hose ll and pipe 31 .works 'againstthemsterialinthe tubes a asthese' tubes align with the air delivery port II and the compressed air successively forces the material in the tubes downwardly therethrough and through the opening 4! in the lower sealing liner l4 and through the discharge port 41 oi the bottom plate so '4! into the pipe II and thence through this pipe water is supplied in thenormsl fashion to the material passing through the needle and the concrete in hydrated form is sprayed from the nozzle in thecustomary manner. Inasmuch as the air delivery port It and opening 42 in the upper sealing liner are of sumcient length to bridge between adiscent tubes 43a of the carrier the air delivery port II is constantly in communication with one or more tubes a of the carrier and as a result, assuming that the carrier is rotated at 55 the proper speed, material is continuously discharged from the discharge port 41 of the bottom plate ll and material continuously moves through the pipe I4 and hose II to the nozzle II. In other words, instead of the material mov- 7o ing intermittently to the hose I! and through i the hose by series of pulsations, a continuous discharge of the material takes place which is highly important to the proper operation of the nozzle II. The discharge from the nozzle therebearing 38 and is equipped with a flange at its 76' from is continuous rather than i t rm tte t,

The apparatus also can be run continuously for panionopening 48 in the lower sealing liner 44 of such length relative to vertical alignment with the air delivery port 36 that the port 4'! and its companion opening 49 do not extend beyond at least substantially vertical alignment with the air delivery port 36 in the direction of movement.

of the carrier 43, as best shown in Fig. 3, an important result is accomplished which is not at 'once apparent. It the discharge port 41 and its companion opening 49 did extend beyond the air delivery port 16 in the direction of movement -01 the carrier 43a tube 43 after passing below the air delivery port 38 would be sealed at its upper end by the upper sealing liner 42 but would be in communication with port 41 at its lower end and compressed air and material after the.

tube was emptied would be carried back into the tube. 7 Then at the time that the tube moved over a position where the upper end of the tube or part it was disposed below the material delivering slot 35, the compressed air in the chamber formed by the tube would be released to put! up or belch forth into the lower part of the hop- 1, per 23, forcing the material in the lower part oi the hopper upwardly and creating dust in the hopper. By aligning the discharge port 41 and its companion opening 49 with the air delivery port ll as a tube 434 moves from a position below the port 36 to a position at one side thereof both ends 0! the tube are sealed by the respective sealing liners 40 and 44 simultaneously and as aresult the supply of, compressed air to the tube 43a is completely cut oil! at one time. when the tube moves to a position underlying thematerial delivering. slot 35 very little it any put! up ot air-released from the chamber formed by the tube occurs.-

. It is desirable to make the width of the air de- I livery port 38 somewhat less than. the diameter of the interior of the tubes 43a to prevent the development of back pressure and to cause all air delivered through the port 38 topass through I the tubes.

In assemblingthe equipment on the support I it is desirable that a housing having a removable cover 80 be employed to house the engine H and the driving mechanismbelow the upper edge of the hopper 23 so that as material is dumped into the hopper 23 and the hopper extension 24 it will not fall on the engine or drive mechanism.

While the apparatus has, been described asit will be used, in connection with the conveying of divided material. to a nozzle for thev spraying of concrete and the device is intended primarily for this use, it will be understood that the apparatus can be used for moving, distributing and i conveying any type of powdered or granular mamatter shown and described and set forth in the 10 appended claims.

What is claimed is: a 1. In combination, an annular casing having an upright central axis and a series of slots extending parallel to said axis; a carrier rotatable within said casing and having an annular series of equally spaced upwardly and downwardly open ,7 measuring pockets revolvable about said axis, top

and bottom plates coacting with said carrier tov seal the adjacent pocket .ends, one of said plates being fixed against movement and the other plate being movable along said axis and having pe ripheral lugs slidable along said casing slots to" prevent rotation 01 said other plate about said axis, and said plates having local materialsupply and discharge openings respectively disposed out oi. vertical alinement with each other, means for urging said movable plate toward the fixed plate to snugly confine said carrier between the plates, a granular material supply hopper communicating with the supply opening in said top plate, a material delivery conduit communicating with the discharge opening in said bottom plate, and means for admitting compressed air to the successive pockets when passing over said Bra-discharge opening. 1 I v 2. In combination, an annular casing having an upright central axis and a series of elongated vertical slots extending parallel to said axis, a carrier rotatable within said casing and having an annular series 0! equally spaced upwardly and downwardly open measuring pockets revolvable about said .axis, top and bottom plates coacting with said carrier to seal the adjacent pocket ends, one of said plates being fixed against movement and the other plate being movable along said axis within said casing and having peripheral lugs slidable along, said casing slots to prevent rotation of said other plate about said axis, and said plates having local material supp y and discharge openings respectively disposed out of vertical alinement with each other, means coacting with said movable plate remote from said axis for RICHARD R. COLBURN. 

